To What extent is it fair to say that 'the work of the chartist came to nothing?'

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Introduction

To What extent is it fair to say that 'the work of the chartist came to nothing?' Chartism failed, but the charter didn't. I say this because by the end of a 20 year reign as the foremost supported campaign nationwide, Chartism didn't achieve a single one of its demands. Over drastic requests for the time, an unwillingness to consolidate together and a reluctance to accept middle class support, destroyed the chances of what was mostly a very reasonable charter from being accepted in its lifetime. The fact that over the next century, under much less pressure the government reformed to meet 5 out of the 6 requests of the charter shows that the violent and obtuse methods of the Chartist put the movement back up to 70 years. Indeed the methods of the chartist often repulsed their fellow members to join other causes as C. ...read more.

Middle

As pre mentioned 5 points of the charter where accepted over time, and responsibility of this must be given to among others the middle classes. As time moved on further from the bad memory of the violence and revolutionary'esq behaviour of some chartist group's, MP's became more willing to look at political reform. This climaxed in 1928 with the vote being granted to all. This proves that the people in charge of Britain are not power crazed politicians only looking after there own interests, but men who listen to the people and respond to their feelings. The simple fact is that the chartist under bad leadership and visions of grandeur, stopped Chartism from happening in there time. As Chartism peaked, economic prosperity troughed, this by no coincidence. The bad harvest in the late 1830's and early 1840's caused famines across England. ...read more.

Conclusion

Indeed the labour party was founded on such opinion, rather than as a direct reflection of Chartism. It is true that many chartist demands where granted and this fact has often been used by historians to prop up the case for Chartism as a success. However Chartism was no longer present when these political changes occurred, indeed during its lifetime not one amendment was made to the political system, showing an almost stubborn approach of the government to grant any desire of such people. They made sure any attempt to march on parliament or display there voice was matched in every way. At the Kennington common meeting in 1848, where a petition was planned to be taken to Westminster, the government created 90,000 special constables to oppose and persuade the masses to not enter London. In reality the petition was taken without its manned escort and once again flatly rejected. (It was later found to be full of made up names ridiculing chartist ideas) ...read more.

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